Is it really that easy to make a lot of money in the U.S?

[Deathknightish]

Heard so many Americans say "If you aren't making at least 75k a year, you are a failure".

To me, that's an absurd amount of money. That's about 54 000 SEK a month, which extremely few people here in Sweden are earning (average salary is about 2549 dollars a month). Even most jobs you need a uni degree for aren't giving you much money, because of the way our tax system works. Unless you are a lawyer, doctor or higher-up IT specialist, or own your own company, you aren't really looking at much more than about 3161-4215 dollars a month.

Is it really that easy to make the big cash in the U.S compared to other countries?

[Acidbaron]

Heard so many Americans say "If you aren't making at least 75k a year, you are a failure".

To me, that's an absurd amount of money. That's about 54 000 SEK a month, which extremely few people here in Sweden are earning (average salary is about 2549 dollars a month). Even most jobs you need a uni degree for aren't giving you much money, because of the way our tax system works. Unless you are a lawyer, doctor or IT specialist, or own your own company, you aren't really looking at much more than about 3161-4215 dollars a month.

Is it really that easy to make the big cash in the U.S compared to other countries?

You should compare the difference in taxes they pay and you pay. They also don't have your social security net so they pay through the nose if something ever happens to them.

You would have to make a far larger comparison than simply yearly income.

[Independent voter]

Heard so many Americans say "If you aren't making at least 75k a year, you are a failure".

To me, that's an absurd amount of money. That's about 54 000 SEK a month, which extremely few people here in Sweden are earning (average salary is about 2549 dollars a month). Even most jobs you need a uni degree for aren't giving you much money, because of the way our tax system works. Unless you are a lawyer, doctor or IT specialist, or own your own company, you aren't really looking at much more than about 3161-4215 dollars a month.

Is it really that easy to make the big cash in the U.S compared to other countries?

It depends on where you live. If you live in New York or San Francisco, $75k isn't very much cause rent is so high.

The trick is to get a high paying job in Silicon Valley and then work remotely, living in the poorer part of the country where housing is very cheap.

Moving to where the jobs are is a pretty big part of getting a good job here.

[Zantos]

Is it really that easy to make the big cash in the U.S compared to other countries?

Nope. Anyone who says that is a moron. That is well above the average income for the US.

[Cosmic Janitor]

Nope. Anyone who says that is a moron. That is well above the average income for the US.

I doubt the average income in america is considered to be a factor of success here. Still a dumb thing to say though.

[oplawlz]

Heard so many Americans say "If you aren't making at least 75k a year, you are a failure".

To me, that's an absurd amount of money. That's about 54 000 SEK a month, which extremely few people here in Sweden are earning (average salary is about 2549 dollars a month). Even most jobs you need a uni degree for aren't giving you much money, because of the way our tax system works. Unless you are a lawyer, doctor or higher-up IT specialist, or own your own company, you aren't really looking at much more than about 3161-4215 dollars a month.

Is it really that easy to make the big cash in the U.S compared to other countries?

Over 75k average? That's a stretch unless you live in one of the major metropolitan areas. While folks in the USA certainly have more disposable income than most of Europe, as mentioned you also need to handle your own risk tolerance in case of emergency. We also have a very unhealthy system of debt, although I don't know how different that is in other countries.

[Weeps]

In my state (NJ), $75k is middle of middle class.

To be considered upper class you need to make $120k.

You'll be fine with 75k, you just won't be able to "keep up with the Joneses." Especially not in my area.

You'll be fine with 75k if you don't have kids and have a reasonably good health insurance through your employer.

You'll just have a $350k-ish house, 2 cars, vacation less than the Jones do.

[Puzzlesocks]

Heard so many Americans say "If you aren't making at least 75k a year, you are a failure".

To me, that's an absurd amount of money. That's about 54 000 SEK a month, which extremely few people here in Sweden are earning (average salary is about 2549 dollars a month). Even most jobs you need a uni degree for aren't giving you much money, because of the way our tax system works. Unless you are a lawyer, doctor or higher-up IT specialist, or own your own company, you aren't really looking at much more than about 3161-4215 dollars a month.

Is it really that easy to make the big cash in the U.S compared to other countries?

The reason it is so different is because your country believes that money is a measure of your value to society, and realizes that the people on the bottom help run society as much as the doctors and lawyers. The USA would rather keep on pretending we are free while enforcing a caste system with those on the bottom "getting what they deserve" or being "failures". We still believe that only certain types of hard work should be rewarded instead of hard work in general. We believe in replacing people with machines and charging more for products even though it costs the companies less to produce the same goods more efficiently.

[Exeris]

Heard so many Americans say "If you aren't making at least 75k a year, you are a failure".

To me, that's an absurd amount of money. That's about 54 000 SEK a month, which extremely few people here in Sweden are earning (average salary is about 2549 dollars a month). Even most jobs you need a uni degree for aren't giving you much money, because of the way our tax system works. Unless you are a lawyer, doctor or higher-up IT specialist, or own your own company, you aren't really looking at much more than about 3161-4215 dollars a month.

Is it really that easy to make the big cash in the U.S compared to other countries?

Cost of living, Average monthly disposable salary, After tax: Countries Compared
https://www.nationmaster.com/country...lary/After-tax

I'm not sure how accurate this site is btw and it's from 2014.

edit: If it's accurate I just got jealous of Switzerland.

[Deathknightish]

Cost of living, Average monthly disposable salary, After tax: Countries Compared
https://www.nationmaster.com/country...lary/After-tax

I'm not sure how accurate this site is btw and it's from 2014.

Not really sure how accurate that is, as it claims that the Swedish average is much higher than Swedish sites say.
https://buffert.se/loner-i-sverige/ - here's a site in Swedish, and it says that the national average, between all age groups, is previously mentioned 2549 dollars.

American seems a bit higher, regardless though, but not as much as I thought.

[Najnaj]

Heard so many Americans say "If you aren't making at least 75k a year, you are a failure".

To me, that's an absurd amount of money. That's about 54 000 SEK a month, which extremely few people here in Sweden are earning (average salary is about 2549 dollars a month). Even most jobs you need a uni degree for aren't giving you much money, because of the way our tax system works. Unless you are a lawyer, doctor or higher-up IT specialist, or own your own company, you aren't really looking at much more than about 3161-4215 dollars a month.

Is it really that easy to make the big cash in the U.S compared to other countries?

There is so much going on here besides the pure numbers that you can not make a comparison like this. Sweden's currency is VERY undervalued atm and you have a ton of stuff included with your taxes. You are also comparing an average income to an internet meme. Average income in the US is about 50k a year and that number is pushed upwards by a handful of people making a trillion gazillion dollars a minute. It is around 35k in Sweden but you do not need to pay out of pocket for the million things an American has to.

[Afrospinach]

Cost of living, Average monthly disposable salary, After tax: Countries Compared
https://www.nationmaster.com/country...lary/After-tax

I'm not sure how accurate this site is btw and it's from 2014.

edit: If it's accurate I just got jealous of Switzerland.

Lol Zambia is third on that list. Must have surveyed the parliament and stopped there after that IMF loan that has just "disappeared". Broke now. 2nd worst performing currency in the world at the moment, right after.....Venezuela.

Either that or they put in average annual salary as monthly, that is entirely possible.

[msdos]

It's easy if you devote your entire life to making money and I do mean entire life. I'm seeing people give up sleep, relationships, their own health, etc to make more money.

If that's what you want to do, by all means, but me, I know that working that much isn't fulfilling my needs as a human being, it's really just fulfilling a corporate need. Society doesn't need this abundance of shit to operate, it never did, it's just that everything is inflated beyond what it really is so that added burden has to have added support, it's all fluff.
If someone writes the prices of everything, that is now how much money you need to be making, I mean if you think about it, your life is being dictated by markets. That's how people want to live?

Even now, part of my life is being dictated by a market: the PC hardware market. The stuff is so expensive now that I'm starting to contemplate whether I can even afford to keep upgrading my rig. These prices are fluctuating as if they're alive, well they are, they're being manipulated by living people for "reasons". It's all complete rigged bullshit.

[Itheni]

Make A lot Of Money
Cut Your Expenses
Invest Your Active Income Into passive income
Have Enough Passive Income To ReInvest into more passive income.
Work Less and do what you want..


This is exactly the formula retire early.

[Puzzlesocks]

Cost of living, Average monthly disposable salary, After tax: Countries Compared
https://www.nationmaster.com/country...lary/After-tax

I'm not sure how accurate this site is btw and it's from 2014.

edit: If it's accurate I just got jealous of Switzerland.

Good god, that seems highly inaccurate... or it shows just how disproportionate the wealth gap really is. When you are looking at close to 40% of Americans not being able to scrounge up $500 for an emergency, and the average disposable income supposedly being over $3000 per MONTH. After cost of living in my area, that means the average income in my area would be about $45/hr, and that is a conservative calculation not factoring in car payments/repairs or phone bills.

*Edit* Sorry, forgot to notice that it was saying POST-TAX, just ridiculous...

[Exeris]

Lol Zambia is third on that list. Must have surveyed the parliament and stopped there after that IMF loan that has just "disappeared". Broke now. 2nd worst performing currency in the world at the moment, right after.....Venezuela.

Either that or they put in average annual salary as monthly, that is entirely possible.

Yeah I don't think it's very accurate, but Zambia is seemingly doing well atm.

2. Zambia (Rank 3)
Ranking third in the world for monthly disposable income, Zambia’s salaries average at $4,330.98 per month. With the rate of economic growth hitting a steady six percent over the past few years and a high level of foreign investment boosting the country, Zambia’s salaries are a reflection of its strong economy. Basic utilities and food are comparatively very cheap, although real estate is expensive – the fourth priciest in the world. Renting is more affordable; a three-bedroom apartment would set the average consumer back by $1,400 per month, which puts it in 49th place. Zambia is one of the world’s cheapest countries for buying a car, ranking 133rd out of 140 nations.

https://www.worldfinance.com/infrast...posable-income

I might just be linking a lot of crap though since economic isn't one of my strong points.

[Deathknightish]

Good god, that seems highly inaccurate... or it shows just how disproportionate the wealth gap really is. When you are looking at close to 40% of Americans not being able to scrounge up $500 for an emergency, and the average disposable income supposedly being over $3000 per MONTH. After cost of living in my area, that means the average income in my area would be about $45/hr, and that is a conservative calculation not factoring in car payments/repairs or phone bills.

*Edit* Sorry, forgot to notice that it was saying POST-TAX, just ridiculous...

You're right, it does say post-tax! Then that chart is just utter bullshite, the average Swee is NOT earning 3181 dollars after taxes. That's just ridiculous.

[God Save The King]

If you're a full time employee, your median income is $39.3k a year. Meaning if you earn, say 39.4k, you're in the top half of earners.

People saying you need to earn 75k or you're a failure are probably lying or projecting their own failure. Sure, there are plenty of people who earn that and way more, but it's nowhere near even half.

According to wikipedia, which I'm sure you can dig into the Labor Bureau stats if you really don't trust them, 14.42% of Americans earn 75k or more.

So, realistically, you need to be in the top 14% of Americans in terms of income to not "be a failure" by that metric. That should give you an idea of how easy it is to make money here. It's hard to find a breakdown by age, but other sites show that you tend to "peak" between 35 and 44, and start making a little less as you age. So 75k before 35 is going to be even rarer.

According to US News Ranking (fairly reliable from my experience), only Petroleum Engineers start with a median base salary above 75k. All the other top paying jobs start below that mark. 75k is a fairly lofty goal that is easier with higher education like a Master's or PhD, or picking a bachelor's degree with a high starting base wage and working up over a decade or two.

I went for Computer Science initially, and I worked in one of the most expensive areas in the nation under a major tech company, and I only made 90k, which felt like poverty after rent. I moved somewhere cheap after a few years, make about half, but I do consulting work remotely and my rent is less than 1/5 of what I paid previously. So even if you manage to make above that mark, you can still feel poor if you live in an expensive area.

- - - Updated - - -

You're right, it does say post-tax! Then that chart is just utter bullshite, the average Swee is NOT earning 3181 dollars after taxes. That's just ridiculous.

I'm pretty sure that chart is showing average household disposable income. None of those countries are accurate on an individual level, but if you start looking at median household incomes, less tax and housing, it comes close. I checked that for USA, Sweden, Norway, and Australia

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It depends on where you live. If you live in New York or San Francisco, $75k isn't very much cause rent is so high.

The trick is to get a high paying job in Silicon Valley and then work remotely, living in the poorer part of the country where housing is very cheap.

Moving to where the jobs are is a pretty big part of getting a good job here.

This advice exactly. While I do consulting work for various large companies instead of working for only one, the idea is the same. I was paying about $3k a month in housing and utilities living in the bay area before moving away. On my wage, it felt like poverty (which I lived in as a kid, so I know what it's like). I now pay about $600 a month for a 3 bedroom little house with a yard. Hoping to buy soonish.

[d00mGuArD]

Yes it is

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...PP)_per_capita

In some areas at least.

[deenman]

you proly have to keep in mind what that number really translates for you,where i live lowest income are at around 400$ a month,that may sound low,but shit is also cheap,thats more than enough if you live alone,and in usa averege people spend half their lives paying school debts and they go bankrupt if they get seriously ill,you proly have none of those issues,we also have free public transport so thats also a huge financial gain over time